Construction of Australia's sustainable future goes beyond just renewables

The Advertiser

17-07-2025

Australia's clean energy transition is accelerating, and the construction sector is central to making it happen.
As renewable energy generation and storage projects ramp up, so too does construction of the infrastructure required to deliver them, marking a clear shift from the decade-long focus on road and rail infrastructure projects.
According to the 2024 Clean Energy Australia Report, 22 large-scale renewable energy projects were completed in 2023 alone, adding 2.8GW of capacity.
That same year, investment in large-scale storage soared to $4.9 billion - a $3 billion increase from the previous year.
The pipeline of current and future activity requires significant input from the construction sector, not only to build the renewable infrastructure itself, but also to support the associated needs - housing, roads and services - particularly in the regions.
Historically, overseas contractors have played a major role in renewable infrastructure projects, but top-tier Australian construction companies are expanding their capacity to enter this space.
Much of this growth is in the Eastern states - NSW, Victoria and Queensland - and particularly in regional areas.
Major contractors capable of supporting safe, efficient and sustainable construction in Renewable Energy Zones (REZ), along with their suppliers, are well-placed to lead these massive projects.
Designated by the NSW government, REZs are home to clusters of large-scale renewable energy projects.
There are five REZs around the state, and they act as modern-day power stations, combining renewable energy infrastructure, storage and high voltage transmission infrastructure.
Take the New England Solar Farm, near Uralla, for example.
Located in the New England REZ, this 720MW solar and battery project will produce enough renewable energy to power 300,000 homes each year.
A job like this doesn't just require a lift-and-shift approach to installing the infrastructure; it requires storage, transport, waste disposal and much more.
At the peak of its construction, it's estimated there will be 450 jobs added, and while much of this will be made up of a regional workforce, there will still be a need for workers to travel to the region from outside the area.
This brings up the issue of regional accommodation, which is a significant challenge for major developments.
The NSW government's Regional Housing Taskforce discovered that regional NSW has faced significant housing supply and affordability pressures since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many regional towns, particularly in NSW, are facing high demand for accommodation that does not currently exist.
Although there are generally new housing developments on the way in regional areas, these will take many years, often more than a decade, before they are completed and occupied.
Major infrastructure endeavours, such as large-scale renewable energy projects, need short-term accommodation solutions for workers now.
Regional renewable energy infrastructure projects do more than build services that help major cities.
They create a new industry for rural and remote areas and bring immense value to the surrounding towns.
For example, through the New England Solar Farm, renewable energy developer ACEN Australia is providing $7 million in community funding via its Social Investment Program (SIP) to help support thriving and resilient regional communities.
During construction alone, the hundreds of workers at any site will access nearby towns and businesses, spending their money in the local economy.
Once a project is complete, a long-term workforce can be built, with skilled job opportunities, which in turn encourages workers and their families to move to the regions.
This grows that area, bringing in further benefits.
Increased population and a solid local economy in regional towns drive further investment in infrastructure such as transport, education and health, while also encouraging some larger external businesses to set up new locations.
Investing in renewable energy infrastructure is vital for a sustainable and prosperous future, but we must also invest in the right infrastructure to support the communities responsible for rolling it out.
Australia's clean energy transition is accelerating, and the construction sector is central to making it happen.
As renewable energy generation and storage projects ramp up, so too does construction of the infrastructure required to deliver them, marking a clear shift from the decade-long focus on road and rail infrastructure projects.
According to the 2024 Clean Energy Australia Report, 22 large-scale renewable energy projects were completed in 2023 alone, adding 2.8GW of capacity.
That same year, investment in large-scale storage soared to $4.9 billion - a $3 billion increase from the previous year.
The pipeline of current and future activity requires significant input from the construction sector, not only to build the renewable infrastructure itself, but also to support the associated needs - housing, roads and services - particularly in the regions.
Historically, overseas contractors have played a major role in renewable infrastructure projects, but top-tier Australian construction companies are expanding their capacity to enter this space.
Much of this growth is in the Eastern states - NSW, Victoria and Queensland - and particularly in regional areas.
Major contractors capable of supporting safe, efficient and sustainable construction in Renewable Energy Zones (REZ), along with their suppliers, are well-placed to lead these massive projects.
Designated by the NSW government, REZs are home to clusters of large-scale renewable energy projects.
There are five REZs around the state, and they act as modern-day power stations, combining renewable energy infrastructure, storage and high voltage transmission infrastructure.
Take the New England Solar Farm, near Uralla, for example.
Located in the New England REZ, this 720MW solar and battery project will produce enough renewable energy to power 300,000 homes each year.
A job like this doesn't just require a lift-and-shift approach to installing the infrastructure; it requires storage, transport, waste disposal and much more.
At the peak of its construction, it's estimated there will be 450 jobs added, and while much of this will be made up of a regional workforce, there will still be a need for workers to travel to the region from outside the area.
This brings up the issue of regional accommodation, which is a significant challenge for major developments.
The NSW government's Regional Housing Taskforce discovered that regional NSW has faced significant housing supply and affordability pressures since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many regional towns, particularly in NSW, are facing high demand for accommodation that does not currently exist.
Although there are generally new housing developments on the way in regional areas, these will take many years, often more than a decade, before they are completed and occupied.
Major infrastructure endeavours, such as large-scale renewable energy projects, need short-term accommodation solutions for workers now.
Regional renewable energy infrastructure projects do more than build services that help major cities.
They create a new industry for rural and remote areas and bring immense value to the surrounding towns.
For example, through the New England Solar Farm, renewable energy developer ACEN Australia is providing $7 million in community funding via its Social Investment Program (SIP) to help support thriving and resilient regional communities.
During construction alone, the hundreds of workers at any site will access nearby towns and businesses, spending their money in the local economy.
Once a project is complete, a long-term workforce can be built, with skilled job opportunities, which in turn encourages workers and their families to move to the regions.
This grows that area, bringing in further benefits.
Increased population and a solid local economy in regional towns drive further investment in infrastructure such as transport, education and health, while also encouraging some larger external businesses to set up new locations.
Investing in renewable energy infrastructure is vital for a sustainable and prosperous future, but we must also invest in the right infrastructure to support the communities responsible for rolling it out.
Australia's clean energy transition is accelerating, and the construction sector is central to making it happen.
As renewable energy generation and storage projects ramp up, so too does construction of the infrastructure required to deliver them, marking a clear shift from the decade-long focus on road and rail infrastructure projects.
According to the 2024 Clean Energy Australia Report, 22 large-scale renewable energy projects were completed in 2023 alone, adding 2.8GW of capacity.
That same year, investment in large-scale storage soared to $4.9 billion - a $3 billion increase from the previous year.
The pipeline of current and future activity requires significant input from the construction sector, not only to build the renewable infrastructure itself, but also to support the associated needs - housing, roads and services - particularly in the regions.
Historically, overseas contractors have played a major role in renewable infrastructure projects, but top-tier Australian construction companies are expanding their capacity to enter this space.
Much of this growth is in the Eastern states - NSW, Victoria and Queensland - and particularly in regional areas.
Major contractors capable of supporting safe, efficient and sustainable construction in Renewable Energy Zones (REZ), along with their suppliers, are well-placed to lead these massive projects.
Designated by the NSW government, REZs are home to clusters of large-scale renewable energy projects.
There are five REZs around the state, and they act as modern-day power stations, combining renewable energy infrastructure, storage and high voltage transmission infrastructure.
Take the New England Solar Farm, near Uralla, for example.
Located in the New England REZ, this 720MW solar and battery project will produce enough renewable energy to power 300,000 homes each year.
A job like this doesn't just require a lift-and-shift approach to installing the infrastructure; it requires storage, transport, waste disposal and much more.
At the peak of its construction, it's estimated there will be 450 jobs added, and while much of this will be made up of a regional workforce, there will still be a need for workers to travel to the region from outside the area.
This brings up the issue of regional accommodation, which is a significant challenge for major developments.
The NSW government's Regional Housing Taskforce discovered that regional NSW has faced significant housing supply and affordability pressures since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many regional towns, particularly in NSW, are facing high demand for accommodation that does not currently exist.
Although there are generally new housing developments on the way in regional areas, these will take many years, often more than a decade, before they are completed and occupied.
Major infrastructure endeavours, such as large-scale renewable energy projects, need short-term accommodation solutions for workers now.
Regional renewable energy infrastructure projects do more than build services that help major cities.
They create a new industry for rural and remote areas and bring immense value to the surrounding towns.
For example, through the New England Solar Farm, renewable energy developer ACEN Australia is providing $7 million in community funding via its Social Investment Program (SIP) to help support thriving and resilient regional communities.
During construction alone, the hundreds of workers at any site will access nearby towns and businesses, spending their money in the local economy.
Once a project is complete, a long-term workforce can be built, with skilled job opportunities, which in turn encourages workers and their families to move to the regions.
This grows that area, bringing in further benefits.
Increased population and a solid local economy in regional towns drive further investment in infrastructure such as transport, education and health, while also encouraging some larger external businesses to set up new locations.
Investing in renewable energy infrastructure is vital for a sustainable and prosperous future, but we must also invest in the right infrastructure to support the communities responsible for rolling it out.
Australia's clean energy transition is accelerating, and the construction sector is central to making it happen.
As renewable energy generation and storage projects ramp up, so too does construction of the infrastructure required to deliver them, marking a clear shift from the decade-long focus on road and rail infrastructure projects.
According to the 2024 Clean Energy Australia Report, 22 large-scale renewable energy projects were completed in 2023 alone, adding 2.8GW of capacity.
That same year, investment in large-scale storage soared to $4.9 billion - a $3 billion increase from the previous year.
The pipeline of current and future activity requires significant input from the construction sector, not only to build the renewable infrastructure itself, but also to support the associated needs - housing, roads and services - particularly in the regions.
Historically, overseas contractors have played a major role in renewable infrastructure projects, but top-tier Australian construction companies are expanding their capacity to enter this space.
Much of this growth is in the Eastern states - NSW, Victoria and Queensland - and particularly in regional areas.
Major contractors capable of supporting safe, efficient and sustainable construction in Renewable Energy Zones (REZ), along with their suppliers, are well-placed to lead these massive projects.
Designated by the NSW government, REZs are home to clusters of large-scale renewable energy projects.
There are five REZs around the state, and they act as modern-day power stations, combining renewable energy infrastructure, storage and high voltage transmission infrastructure.
Take the New England Solar Farm, near Uralla, for example.
Located in the New England REZ, this 720MW solar and battery project will produce enough renewable energy to power 300,000 homes each year.
A job like this doesn't just require a lift-and-shift approach to installing the infrastructure; it requires storage, transport, waste disposal and much more.
At the peak of its construction, it's estimated there will be 450 jobs added, and while much of this will be made up of a regional workforce, there will still be a need for workers to travel to the region from outside the area.
This brings up the issue of regional accommodation, which is a significant challenge for major developments.
The NSW government's Regional Housing Taskforce discovered that regional NSW has faced significant housing supply and affordability pressures since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many regional towns, particularly in NSW, are facing high demand for accommodation that does not currently exist.
Although there are generally new housing developments on the way in regional areas, these will take many years, often more than a decade, before they are completed and occupied.
Major infrastructure endeavours, such as large-scale renewable energy projects, need short-term accommodation solutions for workers now.
Regional renewable energy infrastructure projects do more than build services that help major cities.
They create a new industry for rural and remote areas and bring immense value to the surrounding towns.
For example, through the New England Solar Farm, renewable energy developer ACEN Australia is providing $7 million in community funding via its Social Investment Program (SIP) to help support thriving and resilient regional communities.
During construction alone, the hundreds of workers at any site will access nearby towns and businesses, spending their money in the local economy.
Once a project is complete, a long-term workforce can be built, with skilled job opportunities, which in turn encourages workers and their families to move to the regions.
This grows that area, bringing in further benefits.
Increased population and a solid local economy in regional towns drive further investment in infrastructure such as transport, education and health, while also encouraging some larger external businesses to set up new locations.
Investing in renewable energy infrastructure is vital for a sustainable and prosperous future, but we must also invest in the right infrastructure to support the communities responsible for rolling it out.